We were there: The 2013 flood to beat all floods

We Were There is a series that revisits The Observer's in-depth coverage of the major events that have shaped Gladstone and the community over the past 20 years. Today, we look back at the 2013 floods.

Tomorrow, we take you back to years gone by at the Mt Larcom Show.

IT WAS Australia Day 2013 - a day when the heavens opened and large parts of the Gladstone region suffered.

The Observer staff arrived at work.

The phone lines were down, we knew of communities which were cut off from civilisation, and the reporters and photographers set about their work the hard way - on foot.